Let the Games Begin
by Yankeesam32935
Summary: A chapter series. Eric hates feelings and human emotions, but does that pertain to Sookie as well? Meanwhile, Sookie finally admits her feelings for Eric are more than platonic. What will happen when she goes to his room late one evening?
1. Chapter 1

If there is one thing that Eric Northman hates about humans it's their emotions. He prides himself on not having any feelings and he feels like it has only made him stronger over the years, while humans are weak and you could never call him weak or desperate for that matter.

Emotions only destroy you in the end. That's Eric's philosophy. It's better not to care about anyone and only look out for yourself and he has survived that way for over a thousand years.

He sneaks a glace, only a second long at _her. _She's sitting across from Bill and she has her hand on his thigh and he can't deny that he would like her to feel something for him. This is the reason for his mistrust of everything human and the way they feel. He doesn't want to have these feelings for Sookie and he's not just feeling this way because he wants to fuck her, even though he does.

She is still chatting intimately with Bill and he is sitting alone, only with Pam, but she doesn't really count because she's always with him. And he does it. He finally admits to himself what he's known all along. He's just as human as she is with only one flaw, he's a vampire. He wants her and it pains him to see her with Bill. Damn those feelings that always get in the way.

What is he supposed to do now? Should he ignore them? Try to get her to give into them or just pretend like nothing is different? He raises his head as he is pondering the questions that drift through his mind and he sees that she is staring at him, and he also sees that same heat that he feels in her eyes and the way that she is looking him over. Sookie Stackhouse wants him, just as much as he wants her. Heat, lust and passion race through his body all at once.

An evil smirk crosses his face. He will have her if it's the last thing he ever does and she already knows that. Let the games begin.


	2. Chapter 2

Let the Games Begin- Chapter Two

Sookie entered her hotel room, as she was still in Dallas and noticed that Bill wasn't here and for that she was glad. She needed time alone with her thoughts now. It had been a tough week. She had been fighting with Bill recently, mostly concerning Eric, Godric had died, and Eric had been inconsolable from it. She had seen a whole different side to him recently and she liked what she had seen.

For weeks she had thought that Eric was a despicable person, well not person, vampire to be precise. He was always out for himself and didn't care about any of the consequences that befell anyone if it didn't have to do directly with him. He wasn't like Bill and many a times she had told herself that she despised him and everything that he stood for, which had been true until a few days ago.

Sookie had these unnatural feelings for him for a while, but it all got worse when he tricked her into drinking his blood and then those _dreams_ started happened. Even while she was awake, she would fantasize about Eric naked and in bed with her, doing things that surely will get her into a lot of trouble if she were to ever voice them aloud. Even now she had to swallow hard, as a vision of Eric strutting naked out of the shower came to her, all hard muscles and bulging biceps and water collecting on his hard abs and _lower. _She made fists of her hands as she tried to physically restrain herself from going to his hotel room, which was just across the hall.

She urged herself to think of Bill. That was it. Her boyfriend. She loved him. Didn't she? Why did she keep thinking of him and his sinewy body when she had Bill? Bill was good to her if not a little controlling, but he was just looking out for her best interests and he loved her. She knew that she loved him, but lately everything seemed a little uncertain and she was hesitant to put her feelings into words for Bill.

She was still furious at Eric for tricking her into drinking his blood when it hadn't been needed, but she knew that wasn't the only reason for these feelings. Lately, Sookie knew there was something else to him than just his vampire nature. He looked at her so heatedly sometimes and it made her insides feel all warm and jumpy because Bill _never_ looked at her like that. Eric wanted her, maybe it was for only animalistic reasons, but she felt there was more to his desire for her than just sex. Having his blood inside of her created a bond between the two of them and she hadn't felt that before, but now she was more in tune to his senses, as he was with her.

Her hands were sweaty as she pushed her gingham dress further down her thighs and she was having more trouble than previously with restraining herself from going to him. She needed Bill to take her mind off Eric and everything else. She knew that Bill didn't even realize the extent of her feelings for Eric yet and even she didn't, but Bill would hate finding out. She would never tell him.

Where was he?

She had been there for Eric when Godric had died. She had tried to console him afterwards and that was when these mild feelings had escalated because she saw a completely different side to him. Eric had always insisted that he was not human and that he wanted nothing to do with the stupid and to him useless feelings that humans felt. Eric was superior to all of that or so he thought. She had seen firsthand how upset he was when his maker had died.

That night when she went to his hotel room, he had tears of blood tracking down his cheeks and the startling red against his pale white skin was such a contrast that she had to look at him for a long moment to make sure that this wasn't just another of his games. She knew instantly that it wasn't. She sat with him for a while that night. Not talking, just trying to be of any comfort to him that she could. A few hours into the night he had grabbed her hand and tears pricked her eyes even because there was so much to this complex man that she didn't know and she _wanted _to know. She wanted to know made him tick and what him excited, as well as how he felt about her.

Because know she knew that he felt what everyone else felt. He may have been too scared to acknowledge it firsthand, but she had seen it. He wouldn't be able to deny it any longer. She could still see the vision of the pain etched across his face and how it had pulled his cheekbones tighter across his face and he had looked like a true Viking. The desperation in which he had grabbed her hand still made her tingle and with that she knew that she had to go to him. Now. In this instant and to screw everything else.

Putting aside her reservations and everything else that she felt and while Sookie knew it wasn't wise, she did it anyways.

She yanked open her hotel door and wandered across the hallway to his room until she stood right in front of it. Damn the consequences. She knocked softly and whispered, "Eric?"

Almost like she was afraid of what he would do if he heard her and actually came to the door. There was no answer, but she knew that he was in there. She knocked louder and said his name again.

The door was opened in a rush a moment later and whatever she had been about to say vanished from her mind because there stood Eric Northman naked in the doorway with a towel looped around his neck. He was better than her dreams.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Let the Games Begin- Chapter Three

Sookie stood there, unable to close her mouth after seeing the spectacular sight that was Eric's body. It was keen to a statue of Greek mythology, both in structure and beauty, but so much better than that overall. He was gorgeous and she had always know that, but most of all he was _breathtaking. _

He didn't bother to cover his body with the towel. He let her eyes pursue him and in typical Eric fashion he said nothing, which only made this even more difficult. How was she ever going to live down her embarrassment over this?

By a will of her eyes, they traveled down his abdomen until they reached the magnificent sight that was his manhood nestled in a thatch of blood curls and she wanted to reach for it, which caused her to gasp and her eyes were back on his in an instant. He stood there nonchalantly and still not saying a word.

"Eric, I-I'm sor-ry," the words finally fell from her lips and he was like a statue. Unmoving and without anything to say, except to make her more uncomfortable which he was succeeding in doing.

She could tell that he was having trouble keeping his eyes on her face and they wandered down her body and instantly heat started to flood her insides and she had a hard time keeping her feet on the ground. That was how strong the instant rush of arousal was.

Sookie looked into Eric's eyes and noticed that look. It was the look that he always gave her. The look that never failed to make her panties twist and become damp. The look of hunger, like he would like to devour her as much as his next meal of blood. The heat was so strong from his eyes and she wanted to go to him and beg him to make love to her and make her his.

Bill. His face suddenly popped into her mind as she was taking a step into the room. _What am I doing? Was I just about to betray Bill with Eric? Why are my feelings for him so strong and why can't I stay away from him?_

The questions rambled in her head and she couldn't make head or tails out of them. Her senses returned and she mumbled, "I'm sorry that I disturbed you. I'll just go back to my room." She turned around and headed back down the hallway and he didn't stop her. He still had said nothing, but she could still feel his heated gaze and his eyes burning a hole into the back of her head. His passion, lust, and zest for her were so strong and even she knew that. He wasn't good at keeping it a secret any longer.

_She had come here for a reason though, hadn't she? What had it been? Oh. Right. She wanted to make sure that he was okay._ Well if there was one thing about herself that she knew was that she wasn't going to just run and hide from Eric, just because of those pesky feelings. She had wanted to see if he was okay and if needed more comfort, but then she had seen him naked and all of those thoughts and feelings went entirely out of her head.

A sudden rush of an unexplained emotion flittered through her and she turned around and walked back to the door that was still open. She wasn't afraid of him and would not be chased away, just because of that _look._

Eric had an amused look on his face now that she was back standing in front of him.

Sookie took a deep breath and said, "I came here tonight to make sure that you were alright after everything that happened these last few days. Do you need me?"

He finally spoke. "Why would I need you?"

His voice was sinister and she wondered if she had made a mistake.

She swallowed hard and made her way all the way into the room and closed the door softly behind her. Eric did nothing to cover his nakedness and she did her best to keep her eyes on level with his. "Why do you act this way?"

"How am I acting?"

Sookie took a chance and moved closer to him. "You're acting like nothing bothers you and that you don't care about what happened the other day. About Godric dying," she noticed that his face immediately tensed. "Why can't you just admit that you're just like the rest of us?" she asked frustrated by his denial of feelings. All she wanted to do was be there for him.

"Because I'm not!" he exploded. "I'm not like you. I'm not human or have you not noticed? I'm vampire and have you actually forgotten how dangerous I really am?"

"Of course I haven't forgotten that you're a vampire, but that's really the only difference between us. My boyfriend is a vampire. Have you _forgotten _that little detail?"

Eric's head snapped back at her words. "So where is darling Bill?" he snapped. "Why aren't you with him?"

His anger only made her obvious attraction for him grow. There was something terribly exciting about a 6'4 tall Viking hovering over you and completely naked, not to mention a vampire. "Bill is probably back in our hotel room by now. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, but apparently that was a huge mistake on my part."

He took another step closer. "How do you know I won't hurt you, Sookie?" He traced her collarbone with one of his chilled fingertips and the heat blossomed in her and in fear of submitting to him, she batted his hand away.

"Would you hurt me?" she asked in challenge.

"Hmm," he said and that was her only answer that he was going to give to that particular question. "Are you sure that you came here to comfort me tonight?"

"Yes," she breathed. "Why else?"

He tilted his head as he looked at her carefully. "I thought maybe you came to me for a different reason. Maybe a comfort of your own kind. A sexual comfort. Because I can surely grant you that if you wish."

She hated her body in that moment. It was betraying her, when Eric was trying to convince her that he wanted nothing more from her than sex, which she knew wasn't the case.

"I know what you're doing, Eric. You're trying to get me to forget the fact that I saw you completely vulnerable without any of your usual defenses up. If you want to try and make sly innuendos to me, then that's fine, but I'm not buying into this whole act of yours." She took a deep breath because she knew that he was going to hate what she said next. "You're as human as I am, concerning emotions and feelings and you hate that I saw that. You hate that you feel like that because to you humans fail at everything. Why are you so afraid to let anyone in? Why won't you let me be there for you?" She grabbed his hand and was surprised when he didn't shake her off.

"Think whatever you like, lover," he said heatedly, "because one day we will be lovers. I will make sure of that."

Sookie immediately dropped his hand and walked backwards until she reached the door. "This was a mistake. I'm sorry that I even tried to be here for you, Eric."

She twisted the door knob and was halfway out the door before he said, "Maybe you're right, Sookie. Maybe I am running from all those despicable human feelings, but you're running as well and don't tell me that you aren't. You're running from me, aren't you?"

She couldn't give him the satisfaction of being right, so she said nothing and continued on her way back to her room. She knew that he was right, but she didn't want him to be. He obviously got her better than anyone ever had and that scared her. She made a pact to herself to not be around him anymore because she couldn't risk losing control, like she had almost tonight. What had ever possessed her to go to his room? She knew that their bond was unbreakable in a way and sooner or later she would crack and go to him again. She couldn't betray Bill though.

She slid her key card into her hotel room door and was so lost in thought, that she didn't even realize Bill was pacing in the middle of the room until he spoke.

"Sookie, where have you been? I've been concerned."

She tried to smile, but had trouble doing so. "I'm sorry, Bill…"

In an instant, he was by her side and his fangs were out while he was sniffing her neck. "You were with him," he stated as though it were a fact. "His scent is all over you."

He moved away from her with disgust and made a face.

"Bill, let me explain."

"What's going on? What is there between the two of you? Do you have true feelings for him, Sookie?" He pestered her with question, until the most important one came up. "Should I be worried?"

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Let the Games Begin- Chapter Four

"_So should I be worried, Sookie?"_

His words thumped around inside of my head, while I tried to make sense of them. He was asking me if he should be concerned about what was going on between Eric and I, which was nothing at the moment, but felt like so much more at times.

The answer that immediately popped into my head was a resounded yes, but I would never tell Bill that. The simple fact was that I was doubting my feelings for Bill now. I knew that I still loved him and cared for him in some way and always would, but my every thought lately revolved around Eric and not my own boyfriend.

They were polar opposites of each other. Bill was the good vampire, while Eric was the menacing one and would do anything to get something that he wanted. Bill was what you would call a normal vampire at most times, while Eric was sheriff of area 5. Bill was loving with me, but Eric was all brass and wise at times. Those were all things that I hated about Eric at first, but now I found myself drawn more and more to those aspects of his life.

I didn't know how to answer his question. I knew what the truth was, but I couldn't voice that aloud. All I knew was how drawn I felt to Eric and how I felt like a part of myself knew him deeper than any human being ever had or vampire for that matter. It was a sexual attraction, yes, but it was more than that as well. I wanted to know everything about him. How he had become a vampire. Just every detail of his life for the last 1,000 or so years.

I wanted to make love to him, but most of all I wanted to hold his hand and be able to comfort him if he needed me, which was something that a girlfriend would do. And Eric Northman did not do girlfriends.

I sighed heavily because I seemed to be forgetting the most important fact. _I had a boyfriend of my own. _I didn't want to label my feelings for Bill at this moment, but I knew that I couldn't keep betraying him like this. It was fair to anyone, but least of all to him.

I was mortified since Bill was staring at me like I lost my mind, which I had because he had asked his question ten minutes ago and I still hadn't given him an answer. "What do you mean?" I finally managed to squeak out, past the constriction that was blocking my throat.

Bill took a step closer and the anger washed over his face, flooding it with color and making him appear very ugly in that instance. "You know what I'm talking about, Sookie. Why were you in Eric's room this late at night? Without me?"

"I don't have to take you everywhere with me now, do I?"

He was not amused by my question and waited for me to answer.

"What do you want me to say, Bill?" I asked exasperated because I couldn't admit the truth.

He threw his hands up in the air, in a fit of surrender. "I want you to tell me the truth for once, damn it!"

"Fine! I will," I said just as angrily as he had before. "I care about Eric and I had to make sure that he was okay with everything that had happened to him in the past few days. With Godric dying and all. He's devastated by it, Bill."

"Eric devastated?" Bill said those two words like they were the funniest and most ironic thing in the world. It instantly put me on edge. "Eric is not like you, Sookie! He doesn't care about things and I'm sure it was all just an act. You know by now how Eric acts and I would implore you not to fall for it."

I took a step closer to Bill and poked him hard in the chest to make my point very clear. "Eric is not what you make him out to be. He was vulnerable and I saw it. It most certainly was not an act. His maker died, Bill, do you not understand how hard that is for him to cope with? He loved Godric."

Bill backed up a step and I could tell by the expression on his face that he thought that I was insane by my words that were coming out of my mouth. "You just don't know Eric."

"I think I know Eric better than you ever will. He's scared of showing how he still retains some human qualities, but they are there. He needs people that care about him in a time like this. He doesn't want to let anyone in, but we share a special bond. He needs me, Bill, even if he doesn't want to show it or admit it."

He started pulling his hair in frustration. "You only share a bond because he tricked you! It's not real, Sookie. It's only there because you drank his blood. Do you really not understand how Eric can be? How can you keep defending him like this?"

In this exact instant, I didn't feel bad for fantasizing about Eric at all the past few weeks. Bill's true colors were starting to show and I didn't like what I was seeing. He was turning into this crazy, jealous, and controlling idiot for the most part. I wanted to flee the hotel room and be by myself, but I couldn't do that right now.

I started to turn down the covers of the bed we were sharing and while I started the tedious task, I turned back to Bill. "I knew that you wouldn't understand, but don't speak of things that you don't know." I pulled the rubber band from my ponytail and my blood waves framed my face as they fell around it. "That's not all there is to our bond and he was wrong to do that, very wrong, but I think you are even more in the wrong now because you can't see facts that are staring you right in the face. Maybe you want to believe the worst in people, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily true."

"Sookie…"

He started, but he didn't get further than that. I held up a hand to stall him. "I don't want to discuss it anymore. We're leaving to go back to Bon Temps tomorrow and I want to get some rest. It's been a very tiring day."

I sank down into the bed in all of my clothes because I was too wiped out from the events of today to even take them off. A few minutes later, I heard the bed shift and Bill's weight was right next to mine. I turned away from him and moved on the other side.

He carefully laid a hand on my shoulder a second later. "Are we alright?" He must have thought it wise not to discuss Eric anymore with me and for that I was grateful.

I sighed, "For now, but I really don't want to talk to you right now." I instantly felt him tense besides me and before he could say anything else, I shut off the beside lamp and the room was plunged into complete darkness. I slept uneasy that night.

His mouth was instantly at my neck and he heaved a deep breath, just smelling my skin. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach and I tightened my hold around him. He looked at me with a devilish grin on his face and kissed me. Hard. His whiskered face moved against mine as he rubbed his lips against mine, and my mouth parted open for him. He took advantage of this and plunged his tongue deep into the recess of my mouth. His tongue collided with mine, giving, but also taking pleasure from it. He drank in my whole mouth and I participated willingly in this wild and lustful kiss.

It was as though I had never been kissed before this. He was a master at kissing, just like everything else. He made me his over and over again and I loved it every minute of it. I fisted my hand in his blond hair and pulled his mouth back to mine when it left to nibble on my skin. His big hand drifted down to my leg and made its way up to my thigh.

Everywhere that his skin touched mine, I was electrified. It was as though little sparks had been lit on my skin and it was an extremely pleasurable feeling. I couldn't get enough of it. He caressed my thigh several times before he found the damp interior of my panties and his finger brushed over my nub and I couldn't hold in my groan anymore. I needed him. He ground his blatant erection into me and I was just about to reach for it when…

I woke up in a sweat and bolted upright in my bed. My skin was covered in a sheen of sweat. And my hand drifted down to the leg of my panties and I discovered that they were drenched. I had another sexual dream about Eric. I sighed heavily, while trying to get my heart to stop racing. I have been home for exactly three days now and every night I had been dreaming of Eric.

Why had I woken up when I just had though? Was there some noise that had awakened me? Then I heard it again. The pounding of my front door. I made my rubbery legs walk to the front door and threw on a satin robe that was on the vanity.

I opened the door slowly and there he stood. Eric. The man that I had just been about to fuck in my dream.

He gave me the once over and I remembered our last discussion and how I had bolted out of his room. I opened my mouth to speak, but it suddenly went dry and I couldn't even begin to talk. I noticed his attire and a shot of pleasure arched through my body when I saw the tight jeans, black wife beater, motorcycle jacket, and boots. I had to hold onto the door for support and I tightened my robe around me because his gaze was going to send me into a ball of flames any moment.

"Well, hello lover," he purred with that evil smile of his.

"What do you want?" I squeaked

"I need you; well I need your help."

His words made my insides feel all warm, but I decided to be catty. "I thought you had no use for humans, Eric. What could I possibly do to help you? Surely I couldn't be any help."

His gaze narrowed for a second, but he continued, "It's Pam. I need your help with Pam. You're going to help me, aren't you?"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

"_I need your help with Pam."_

I stared at him, like I had just seen a ghost. Had he really just asked me for help with what I thought he did? It almost didn't seem possible. Eric Northman had just come to me and asked for help. The amazement of that statement would never cease for me.

I was so shocked by his question that the only thing that I could mumble was, "What did you just say?"

_Real intelligent, Sookie. _

Eric sighed and leaned against the door jam and stuffed his hands in his jeans, acting if he didn't have a care in the world when he had just revealed that there was some dire situation going on with Pam. Why was he always so damn collected? That had always bothered me and I really didn't know why.

"I need your help with, Pam," Eric repeated. "I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't important, Sookie."

My eyes met his and held his gaze. I didn't know what to say and I didn't want him to know how nervous I was with him being this close to me in my home. It had thrown me for a loop. So I opted for something somewhat safe. "What's going on with Pam?"

He ignored my question and asked one of his own. "Can I come in?"

This was the moment that I had been dreading and it was stupid. I knew that it was stupid, but that didn't stop me from feeling how I felt. I felt like if I let Eric into my home, then I was washing away my last resistance of having him completely in my life. That scared me and then there was the fact that Bill would be furious if he found out. Bill and I hadn't been alright in a while, but I still felt like I was betraying him every time I talked to Eric because of how strong my feelings were for him.

And what would happen if Bill were to stop over right now? I doubted he would because we hadn't talked much in the last few days, but the last thing I needed was to have another fight over Eric with him. It would be especially horrible if he stopped over when I was in a robe and Eric was here with me because he would jump to conclusions, like always.

The deciding factor was that I wanted to talk to Eric and find out what happened with Pam. My last shred of hesitation vanished and I said, "Of course."

He nodded once and moved past me, but on the way his hand brushed against my breast. Accidently, I'm sure, but I felt the sensation straight through my core. Having him here was not a good idea, but I was helpless to do anything about it right now. The most important fact was that I wanted him here. I was so confused about everything right now.

Eric walked steadily into the parlor room and sat on a floral sofa, which would have looked odd if it had been another man. But never Eric. "Where's Bill?"

"He's not here," I said simply. "Are you ever going to tell me what is going on with Pam?"

The uneasiness was starting to grate on my nerves and I was truly concerned about her. Pam and I were never going to be best friends, but that didn't mean that I would want anything horrific to happen to her. And I knew that being in the vampire world, even if you were a vampire was completely dangerous and anything could happen to you at any moment. I should know. I've been in more scrapes than I could have ever imagined.

I also knew that Eric would be lost without Pam by his side and after everything that had happened with Godric that was something that he didn't need. So of course I was concerned about him as well, and that overtook all of my common senses. I walked over to where he sat on the sofa and grabbed his hand. It was ice cold, but it didn't bother me. Eric looked at me and didn't release my hand, but instead gave it a little squeeze. "I need you to come with me."

I swallowed hard. That didn't sound good. "Come where?"

Eric's usual control over ever situation was faltering and he looked at our hands, which were clasped for a long moment before dropping them. "I'll explain on the way, but it all has to do with Pam."

"Explain now."

"I can't. I've already wasted enough time here as it is, but you were the only one I could come to for help."

That gave me pause. "How can I help you? I'm just a human. If she's in real danger, you should recruit another vampire to help you. What about Bi-?

He gave me a look that stopped me in my tracks from saying that name.

"I don't trust him and you were the only one that I felt could help me in this matter. Do you want Pam to die, Sookie? Because that's what is going to happen if you don't hurry up and agree to go with me!"

"Of course not!" I was outraged by that suggestion.

"Then stop arguing with me and go get dressed. I promise that I will explain everything when we get there." When I still didn't move, he fairly growled, "Will you put some damn clothes on! Or were you planning on going like that?"

I shuffled my feet and finally headed to my bedroom and did as he suggested and changed into some clothes. I did it, but that didn't mean that I liked it. I also didn't like how he had been yelling at me and I was darn well going to tell him that.

XOXO

I didn't tell him anything because we didn't talk. He had been waiting for me outside when I emerged out of my house, fully clothed and ready to go. He gave me one lingering look as I came out of the house and that look lighted my insides on fire and made me forget that this wasn't a romantic liaison. This was to go and help Pam and whatever kind of trouble she had gotten herself into.

Twenty minutes later, Eric was roaring down the highway and we were in his sleek red Corvette and the wind was whipping me in the face, which I actually loved. We were silent the whole time. From time to time, I looked over at him and his hand which was dangling on the steering wheel. He had such big hands.

_Stop it, Sookie!_

I had to stop this. I was becoming obsessed with him and it was unhealthy. It was just this unnatural attraction, but I wasn't going to think about it anymore. I turned my head towards the window and watched as we sped through the landscape. I didn't turn back to him until the car came to a stop and I noticed that we were in a driveway and there was a huge Victorian mansion in front of me. It was beautiful and it was all made from brick molding and there were shrubs everywhere. It was dark so I couldn't see it that well of course, but it looked like something that I would love.

_This must be where Pam is. _

Eric unclicked his seatbelt and looked at me for the first time in forty-five minutes. His hair was ravaged by the wind, but it looked good on him I decided. He inclined his body in my direction and asked quietly, "Are you alright?"

I looked him square in the eye and saw a softness there that I hadn't seen since the breakdown that he had when Godric died. "Would it matter?"

He said nothing for a minute, but finally said quite adamantly, "Yes, it would."

My head jerked back in shock from his statement. His hand made its way to rest lightly on my knee. "Why?" I heard myself asking and it didn't even sound like my voice.

"Because it would." He said while he stroked the top of my knee.

His touch was getting to me, but I wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily. "That's not a real answer, Eric, and you know it."

"You want an answer?" He asked roughly while he leaned over his seat and brought his face right next to mine.

"Yes," I replied even though I was a little nervous about what he was going to do.

"Fine." He shouted while he stamped his mouth down over mine. I was too shocked to do anything. He sipped at my lips, but then he grew impatient and I lost control completely. I opened my mouth to him and he completely deflowered it with his tongue. His tongue swept inside swiftly and one of his hands made it to my face as he angled my head back, so that he intensified the kiss, while his other hand settled on my waist and drew me closer to him.

Heat blossomed inside of me and it was something that I had never felt before. It was hard to breathe because my heart was pounding so much. I know that I whimpered several times and that only seemed to make him greedier for the taste of me. My hand touched his face and he growled in approval.

His mouth continued to make love to mine and I participated. My nipples were making hard impressions against my blouse and I knew he could feel them against his chest. The car was full of so much sexual tension that I didn't know how it didn't explode from all of it. The kiss continued and he touched every crevice in my mouth and made it his. Sparks exploded on my skin and I wanted this to go on forever because not kissing Eric was not living.

I had never felt this way before.

And then it stopped. He tore his mouth away from mine, looked at me once more with a cold glint in his eyes, groaned and banged his fist viciously on the steering wheel. He closed his eyes and to no one in particular he said, "Damn you."

I couldn't believe what I had just done. I had kissed Eric. Not just kissed, but we made love to each other's mouths. And the funny part was that I didn't care what had just happened. I didn't care about Bill anymore, or how dangerous this actually was, I just wanted to _feel._

We were both breathing heavily and it took several moments until our breathing was restored somewhat. Eric raised his head and I knew that if I asked _that_ question that we would be treading into dangerous territory and I wasn't ready to go there yet, so I asked something else instead. "What is going on? You told me that Pam is in real danger. Where is she, Eric?"

He took a deep breath and said quite calmly, "I imagine that she's at Fangtasia, where she was a mere hour ago when I left her there."

"What?" I fairly shrieked.

"Sookie, nothing is wrong with Pam. I only said that because I needed to get you out here by yourself and away from Bill. We have something very important to discuss."

TBC

**A/N: I thank everyone who is continuing to read and review this story. I really appreciate it. There probably won't be an update on this particular story for at least a week. I'm in the process of working on two one-shots. How did you like the chappie?**


	6. Chapter 6

Let the Games Begin

My mood went from being flat out aroused to pissed in a matter of seconds. I don't know what I expected Eric to say, but it certainly wasn't that there was nothing wrong with Pam. He had tricked me to get me out here alone. That was the plain and simple truth of the matter and it wasn't pretty.

I fingered the hem of my dress and did everything I could possibly do to avoid his gaze because otherwise I knew that I would explode. "Eric, what are you talking about?" When I didn't receive an answer my eyes lifted to his and I found his clear blue steady gaze staring at me. "I want the truth and I want it now. No more games." I demanded.

"What do you want to know?" He asked on an edge, but his steely voice remained intact and I didn't know whether I wanted to slap his smug face or keep on kissing him madly. The latter wasn't an option.

"I want to know why you lied about Pam!" My voice was getting higher with every second that he didn't answer me and I knew that it was shrill right now, but I had thought differently of him and here he had deceived me.

"What does it even matter anymore? I needed to talk to you," he gave me a pointed look, "without Bill around. I knew that he wouldn't let you be around me unless he was present because he's already freaking out about the bond we share and it was only made that much stronger when we shared blood."

I pushed one of my curls back and tucked it behind my ear. "Don't act like I wanted to drink your blood, Eric. You tricked me or otherwise I would have never done that."

He clenched his hand in a fist and unclenched it several times and when it looked like he couldn't resist anymore, he laid it gently on my shoulder. "Do you really believe that, lover?" he rasped. "You know better than that and I know you're not that naïve.

I swallowed. Hard. Even with my anger over everything that Eric had done recently I couldn't help but still be attracted to him. I didn't want to be, but I was and I just realized how I had betrayed Bill although that was pushed to the back of my mind now. I ignored his question completely because it was so dangerous. "Take your hand off of me," I hissed. Eric complied immediately. "Why would you make up a lie about Pam if you wanted to talk to me? Why didn't you just ask to speak to me in private?"

He barely restrained rolling his eyes. "I told you already that I needed to talk to you without Bill and I needed an excuse if he was there with you because he would never let me have a conversation with you by myself. I needed something to persuade you to come with me and if I also told you that I needed to have a discussion with you, you wouldn't have talked to me because you're afraid of being alone with me."

He let that last statement hang in the air.

"And what are my feelings for you?" I asked through clenched teeth and I almost didn't want to hear his answer.

His face was very serious, but he stroked my cheek softly with the pad of his thumb. "I know how attracted you are to me, Sookie. I can feel your arousal flood me from the bond and not to mention other emotions that you are feeling towards me."

Embarrassment tinged my cheeks immediately after his statement.

Eric continued to stroke my cheek. "Don't be embarrassed, lover."

One thing I always had prided myself was on not being naïve, but here I was being extremely naïve. I hadn't realized that extent of the bond that Eric and I shared now. When Bill had told me a week ago that I would become attracted to Eric now and might even starting having dreams about him, I hadn't really believed it. But now Eric's blood flowed through my veins and we were bonded together forever and that thought was entirely unpleasant. In fact, it was too pleasurable.

I didn't deny my attraction to him. I wasn't going to lie. Instead I focused on his lie about Pam again. "I don't believe this," I said as my breasts shook with indignation at what the last ten minutes revealed. "I can't believe you tricked me like this when I stuck up for you when Bill told me how evil and devious you are!"

"You took my side over Bill's?" His compelling gaze drew my eyes to his and he looked like his life, well his vampire life depended on the answer.

_Whoops. I didn't mean to say that. I always opened my fat mouth and it never failed to get me in trouble. Way to go, Sook. _

"Never mind." I muttered while turning up the heat in the Corvette. I was suddenly chilled to the bone.

"Tell me."

"No."

"Sookie, tell me."

"I don't want to."

"Sookie." He repeated, but this time it was much softer. Almost like a caress on my skin. The air was thick with tension again.

"Fine," I snapped. "Yes I defended you to Bill!"

"Why would you do that?"

I looked anywhere I could that didn't focus on Eric in the small car, which was indeed hard since I could feel his presence _everywhere._ I finally found the nerve to look up into his ice blue eyes, except that they didn't look so hard and cynical this time. There was almost an understanding and softness radiated through their depths.

"I defended you to Bill because I thought you were different," I paused before continuing, "I thought that we shared something that you didn't show to anyone else. Maybe some type of connection, even before the whole blood drinking incident. I thought that I knew the type of person that you were and I knew that you showed a different side of yourself to everyone else, but with me it always seemed different. And I told Bill that he was being very judgmental."

Eric swallowed hard and for once looked nervous and taken aback. Like what I was telling him was bringing a lump to his throat. And in the moment I knew what I had just said was true because Eric reserved all of his human feelings and emotions entirely for me. I knew as much as I knew that my last name was Stackhouse. My own throat felt suddenly tight and I had to clear it before I could form coherent words. "This just proves that I was wrong, Eric, and that Bill was right."

I only said that because I wanted him to deny it and I knew that it wasn't true. But true to Eric's form, he only penetrated me with a stare.

"Sookie, you know what's the truth. I can play this game just as you can. You know that you were _right_ about me. Just as I know that Bill will never be enough for you and you're just fooling yourself into believing that what you have is special, when indeed it isn't. You know this, don't you?" he pressed the issue and I wanted to scream with frustration because I couldn't and wouldn't admit that to him. It didn't matter if it was true, which it probably was.

I just wanted to get out of here and go back home. I couldn't deal anymore with my extreme attraction to Eric and my guilt and betrayal over what I was doing to Bill. "Take me home."

"Sookie, wait."

"What?" I fairly yelled. Then I noticed the grim expression on Eric's face, which quickly turned heated when he looked at my clothes trembling with agitation.

Without any warning his mouth came crashing down on mine. There was no tongue involved this time and it was a quick and hard kiss, but there was still passion behind it. I had to clench my fists, so I wouldn't give into the temptation to rest them on his shoulders. He raised his head and looked into my heavy lidded eyes. He bit my lip once more and the passion that overwhelmed me just a few minutes ago returned and I couldn't take it anymore. I pushed his hard chest with my hand.

"Stop." I whispered.

He did as I asked, but his face turned to stone within a matter of minutes.

"What's wrong now, Eric?"

"Aren't you the least bit interested in why I brought you here?"

"Which is?"

He cupped his face between his hands and said quickly, "It's something that is none of my business, but I feel like you have the right to know. Bill is deceiving you, Sookie."

TBC

**A/N: Wow, you guys are amazing. 23 reviews on my last chapter! Yay! You actually have no idea how inspiring it is to receive reviews and how it inspires you to write more because people actually like what you're writing. So a thank you from me and I hope you like this chapter as much as the last. I'm not going to be updating this story that much in the next coming months because of my busy life at the moment. Work, my last semester of college, and pregnancy are wearing me down, but I'll update every chance that I do get. You never know. So review and inspire me!**

**~Sam~**


	7. Chapter 7

My heart thudded painfully in my chest, as I looked wide-eyed at Eric. I almost found myself gasping for breath because of his words.

"_Bill has been deceiving you, Sookie."_

The words that he had just uttered so nonchalantly had caused quite a pain to my already fragile state. I think the worst part was that as soon as he said the words, I wondered if they were true. I even considered that Bill might have tricked me in some way, which immediately made me ashamed because I _shouldn't _have thought that. If I loved Bill the way I was supposed to, I wouldn't doubt him at all. The truth of that made me want to lash out at Eric instantly and I felt trapped. Trapped between reason and truth.

"What are you talking about?" I asked breathlessly. I hated that also. I couldn't control my attraction to Eric, and even now I knew that he could feel that. Even in the moment where the most important question should have been, "did my boyfriend really do something to make me lose trust in him?" That was not what I was thinking about. I was thinking about him. The blood Viking before me and even the mere thought of that caused me to lose control.

I launched myself forward against the binding of my seatbelt and pelted his chest with my small hands. I don't know what I was trying to accomplish. I just wanted to hurt him. I wanted to hurt him because I knew that these feelings of mine could never be acted on. And it was his fault! It was all of Eric's doing because he made me feel things that I had never felt before!

My hands continued to pound away at the hard granite of his chest and Eric let me for a moment before he grasped my hands in his extremely hard grip. "Sookie," he growled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

My mind whirled as I told myself that I couldn't let him know what I had really been thinking about. I couldn't let him know that the true reason that I was upset was because of my feelings for him and not about whatever that Bill had done. Again the guilt of that simple admission began to weigh me down.

"Why are you lying to me about Bill?" I asked in a snippy tone and hoped that I sounded convincing enough. I pulled my hands from his grasp and sunk back to the side of the car. I could still feel the imprint of his hands on mine. I could still feel what it had felt like when his lips were on mine, when his breath caressed my face, when the passion had both overwhelmed us and nothing else mattered. I could feel it all and there was absolutely nothing that I could do about it, nor did I want to.

The softness that surrounded Eric only moments before disappeared and his Nordic personality began to surface. His face became hard, his eyes turned to most frigid color of blue, and he closed himself off to everything and especially me. "I'm not lying," he paused for a moment to collect his thoughts and continued, "I felt like I owed you the truth since Bill obviously was never going to tell you."

"Tell me what?" I asked cautiously as a blond wave tumbled down my face and obscured one of my eyes. I pushed it back hurriedly with my hand.

He took a long moment before answering, like what he was about to tell me would forever fracture my future. "Bill hasn't told you the real reason that he came to Bon Temps in the first place. There was a reason. He didn't just come here for nothing. With Bill there always seems to be a secret agenda."

"A secret agenda?" I laughed without humor. "That sounds like something that Bill would say about you."

Eric fiddled with some of the dials on the Corvette. When he seemed satisfied, he turned back to me. "It's the truth," he said simply.

I noticed that a lock of his blond hair had fallen over his eyebrow and against my better instincts; I pushed it back and let my hand linger on his face. I saw the heat return to his eyes. It thrilled me and somehow made me safe. Eric always had this way of making me feel protected while I was with him. It was familiar.

Eric grabbed my hand again and lowered his lips to my ear. "Don't touch me unless you're prepared for what will happen if you continue to do so." His voice was silky, raspy, rough, raw, and _delicious. _

Some part of my brain registered his words and my hand dropped. Things were getting out of hand again. And in that instant of looking into Eric Northman's face and seeing the bold lust staring back at me, I knew one thing only. I had to break up with Bill. It didn't matter that Eric and I would never be together, I couldn't keep up this charade with Bill and it wasn't fair to him, even though he obviously betrayed me.

_Damn it, Sookie! You don't even know if that's true!_

I did the only thing that I could think of. I took it all out on Eric. "You're lying," I yelled at him and his eyes flashed dangerously, but that wasn't going to stop me. I was never one to back down from a confrontation. "Why should I believe anything that you have to say concerning Bill? You're sneaky, manipulative, and known to be a liar. Why would you even tell me in the first place?" I raised my hand and he in paused in the middle of answering me. "It's a rhetorical question because I already know the answer. You're just trying to make me grow even further apart from Bill."

Did I believe anything I had just said? No. So why did I say it? It was easier to pretend to be annoyed at Eric and his assumptions about Bill, then to actually admit my feelings for him. I would avoid that at all costs and funnily enough, Bill's deception wouldn't matter that much anyways. I was breaking up with him, but Eric could never know any of that.

He was clenching his jaw so hard that I thought he would break his teeth or at the very least, his fangs. He revved up the Corvette and didn't even spare me a glance for the longest time. He didn't even speak to me when we were roaring down the interstate. I always had a big mouth and would say whatever was on my mind, but that was the problem with being around Eric because I couldn't. He made me nervous. Something that not many people had accomplished in their lives. Even with all the problems that were currently filtering through my mind: the supposed deception of Bill, Eric and I arguing, Jason getting himself into another scrape, nothing could take my mind off Eric and the attraction that I felt. It was like nothing else mattered above that. Eric had become my obsession.

After he had been driving for at least fifteen minutes, he spoke. He didn't look at me though and no emotion was betrayed by his voice. "You know everything that you just said is pure bullshit. The real problem here is that you don't even care enough about why Bill came to Bon Temps in the first place. You're more focused on me," he paused and his voice turned heated, "On us."

_He knew me too well and was too fucking smart for his own good._ And he knew that. I closed my eyes tightly before replying, "You have no idea what you're talking about." I had to lie. I just had to make it to my house safely. I couldn't let Eric hurt me, like I knew he would if I fully let him into my life. My voice betrayed me though because it had turned shaky.

Eric had a thing for reckless speed because we were going at least 90 down the interstate, but in a way it felt so _good. _To lose control, and to just be free. To be yourself, something that you would only do if no one else was around.

"If by chance I am wrong and I know I'm not, Sookie, then you have to be upset about something. I've never seen you lose your cool like you did a while back."

_Shit. _"Did you ever think that maybe the reason I'm upset is because you kissed me and I have a boyfriend? I'm just tired of you trying to get me to betray my relationship for you, because it's never going to happen."

That was the biggest crock of shit that I had ever let out of my mouth. I'm surprised that I wasn't struck down by a lightning bolt or something equally as bad. I knew that I had gone too far this time when I glanced at his profile. Eric looked ready to kill somebody and since I was the only one around for several miles, I should have been worried. Eric had never scared me before, but the burning rage in his eyes was currently doing that.

Rule Number 1 when being around vampires: Never piss them off. That was a lesson that I had failed to learn yet. I was too bullheaded.

When Eric deigned to answer me again, he didn't mention what I had just said about our kiss. He quickly glanced at me and returned his attention to the road, but this time his composure wasn't quite intact. He didn't appear as angry and some of that dreaded emotion was coming into play. When he spoke though, his voice was steady. "I would never lie to you about something so important, Sookie."

"Why not?"

He sighed heavily. "Because of my feelings." He cleared his throat before continuing," I'm tired of fighting it and I'm not going to do it anymore."

I swallowed hard and I figured that was the biggest confession I would get out of him. Eric was a man of few words and for him to just admit that to me was huge. "Eric," I began, but I was immediately interrupted by him.

He shut the engine off and I noticed that we were back in my driveway, but now that we were I didn't want to leave the car.

He pondered his next words, but finally said, "I'm not going to chase you anymore, lover. We both know that our attraction is strong and that one day in fact we will be lovers. Chasing people is not my game." He paused to see my reaction, but I just continued to look at him in fascination. "When you finally come to terms with your true feelings, you know where to find me. I'm not fighting for you anymore. It's your turn to chase me."

I didn't move, breathe, or speak.

"Unless you're ready now to admit it."

I shook my head because I wasn't ready. I hadn't even come to terms with being around him yet. I needed time.

He nodded once and reached across the console to open the door for me. I daintily stepped out of the car. "Goodnight Eric," I found myself whispering.

Eric reached for my hand and clasped it before bringing it to his lips and dropping a quick kiss there. His mouth on my hand. A rush of sensation rushed through me, but then he dropped my hand and shut the door to the car, and sped off into the night.

I knew in that moment that if I didn't seek Eric out that he wouldn't come looking for me again. I also knew that I couldn't stay away from him, so that wouldn't be a problem.

I walked wearily back into my house and noticed Bill standing against the doorway. I didn't want to have to deal with this now, but maybe it was for the best.

I didn't even get a chance to speak before he shut the door with one angry fist and demanded, "Where have you been? No. Wait. I already know. You were with _him."_

His voice instantly set me on edge. Everything about Bill lately annoyed me. "Yes, I was with Eric." Bill's eyes narrowed. "He actually had something interesting to tell me. Well, at least he cares enough about me to tell me the truth."

Bill moved closer to me. "What are you saying? I think that you're fantasizing Eric caring about you though, Sookie, because he doesn't care about anything."

I brushed past him and made my way to my bedroom. I had been in here a few hours ago, but that seemed so long ago now. So much had happened. Bill was right behind me of course. I whirled around to face him. "Eric told me the true reason you came to Bon Temps. Is it true that you came here with a secret agenda and have been lying to me about it?"

"Sookie," he instantly tried to placate me.

"Did you?"

"You have to let me explain," Bill wheedled. "It wasn't like that."

"Answer the damn question! Yes or no?"

"Yes," he admitted.

A pain rushed through my heart. Not a fierce pain, but more of a dull throbbing. I don't think I had really believed it until he had just confirmed it. Somehow that made it so much worse.

"I see," I drew the words out slowly. "We were already over, Bill, but we're done for good now. I don't want to see you anymore." I slammed the door to my bedroom in his face.

For the next hour or so, he went from sprouting apologies outside of my door, to trying to convince his way into my room, then to anger at my childness or so he said. He finally must have got the hint and left me alone. I knew that he would be there in the morning though. I would deal with Bill tomorrow. Right now there were more important things on my mind.

I finally admitted what I had known for a long time. I had fallen for the blond Viking vampire and there was nothing that I could do about it. There was no turning back now. I knew in some way that I loved Eric Northman. Now the only question was, what was I going to do about it?

TBC

**A/N: Alright. A much longer chapter this time or it felt like it. I have to again thank all of my reviewers who are sticking by this fiction and all the readers. I suck at replying to reviews, but I enjoy reading them so much. They never fail to put a smile on my face. And as you can tell they really inspired me with this chapter! I had 27 from the last chapter! Wow. That's amazing when I doubted myself because I had never written anything for **_**True Blood**_** before and I thank all of you. The other day I was reading all of them and my baby kicked! So I know my son likes them as much as I do. Ha. So I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to inspire me with some kind of review!**

**Remember comments, reviews, and suggestions are always appreciated. **

**~Sam**


	8. Chapter 8

I had finally wised up to Bill Compton. It may have taken me a few months and several pushes in the right direction from one Eric Northman, but I had finally gotten there. When I looked back on the past several months, I was irritated with myself because all of the signs were there. Did Bill ever really love me? Did it even matter anymore? I wasn't weak and I never would be, but I had let him take advantage of me and all the while he was working on the Queen's orders. What a fool I had been.

Bill did not take kindly to the news that I wanted him out of my life. We had several arguments in the proceeding days, but it always came back to one thing. It wasn't so much his deceit and the way he had lied to me, but more of the simple news that I didn't love him. Maybe I never did. I was tired of pretending. Tired of all the games. Why was life so complicated at times?

_Because I had made it that way_, a little voice inside my head said and it was true. Life was complicated because that was the way things were supposed to be. Everything wasn't roses and sunshine, like some people might believe. You had to struggle and fight for things that you really wanted. What you wanted wouldn't just fall right in front of your feet. No, you had to pick up the pieces and live the life that was destined for you. I knew what my life was destined for, or should I say for _whom?_

I wouldn't be stubborn or bullheaded anymore. Nor would I lose the aura of being Sookie Stackhouse. I would be wiser and not let idiots get the better of me. It was time to start over. Completely without any reminder of the past. And I had to get the hell away from vampires. It was too dangerous I told myself over and over again and I didn't need that in my life. Although a part of me, the evil part, insisted that it was exciting and I didn't want a boring life anymore. I wanted something that was fun but thrilling at the same time. Somehow I didn't want vanilla anymore, but instead I wanted danger. Danger in the form of Eric Northman and all that he brought.

I believed him when he had said that he was done chasing me. For Eric it was all about the thrill of the chase, but apparently he was tired of doing that with me and I didn't blame him. For the past few weeks I had blabbered on incessantly about how I was in love with Bill and how he was the good one, while my mind tried to convince Eric and myself for that matter that he was the bad one. You couldn't argue the fact that Eric was far from good, but at least he hadn't used me as a former boyfriend of mine had done.

_Do you not remember the bullet sucking incident, Sookie? Eric also used you._

That was true but somehow it wasn't the same. It wasn't as deep of a betrayal as Bill's had been. Mainly because he had been my lover and I trusted him completely when I shouldn't have. Eric had known what Bill had done all along and he didn't have to tell me. I must have looked like a first rate class idiot in front of him and that bothered me. I cared what Eric thought about me. I didn't anymore care about what Bill thought, as he had made a complete ass of himself the other night.

---

_I raced through the door when I heard the phone ringing. I knew that I would be too late, but that didn't stop me from rushing to pick up the receiver. Why was I in such a hurry? Easy. I hadn't heard from him in weeks and some part of my hazy doubtful mind thought that maybe he cared enough to call me even though he had made it perfectly clear that he wouldn't come after me again. I knew that but I wanted him to. That was the bad part. I picked up my phone on the last ring and a breath of air whooshed out of my lungs," Hello?"_

_I was horribly disappointed when I heard the voice on the other side of the line. I closed my eyes in irritation and a little bit of defeat because it wasn't him. My sigh reached his ears._

"_Sookie," Bill's stern voice carried through the receiver. "Are you there?"_

_I gripped the phone even harder in my hand. "Yes Bill," I said tiredly. "What do you want?"_

_I had told him three weeks ago that we were over and for the last blissful two of them he had left me alone, but I guess I should have figured that it was too good to last. Bill was always keen on ruining things. _

"_I was wondering if you had used up all of your foolishness. Are you ready to forgive me or are you still going to act in this childish manner and refuse to let me back in? I love you, Sookie, and I know you love me."_

_No. I didn't. That was Bill's problem. He was a little too cocky for his own good and I didn't want to point out the truth to him, but if he forced me I would admit that I didn't love him, nor did I ever, but instead I was just caught up in the fantasy of being with a vampire. _

"_Bill," I hesitated for a moment before continuing, "There is nothing left between us anymore. I told you that weeks ago. I'm done. You lied to me and you're a fool if you think that I'm just going to forgive your deceit. I don't know why you just didn't tell me the truth, but it doesn't matter anymore. We're done."_

"_I see," Bill exclaimed in that manner of calm demeanor when I knew that wasn't the case at all. "You're still blaming me for everything and taking none of the blame yourself. Is this really not about the reason I came about Bon Temps, but because of Northman?"_

_Partly. I wasn't even sure. "No, this has nothing to do with Eric. There is just this common fact that I can't trust you anymore and frankly, Bill, I don't even want to. Things were fine while they lasted, but I'm not playing anymore of your petty games. Now, was there anything else?"_

"_You're going to regret this, Sookie," Bill's raspy voice croaked through the line. "You don't even know what you're doing."_

_I laughed bitterly and without humor. "You're wrong. You're actually the one that knows nothing about me, Bill. I consider myself a pretty sound judgment of character and a smart woman and even if you didn't have some whacked out arranged deal with the Queen, we would still be having this conversation. I've come to face that fact that we're just not meant to be and I'm not even sure we should have started dating in the first place."_

"_This is not over by any means," he growled and slammed the phone down, effectively ending our conversation. Although it had been a one-sided conversation to begin with. _

_His warning did not scare me. It took a lot to rattle a Stackhouse and a simple statement would not do that to me. I just wanted him out of my life for good. And in that moment, I decided that I hated Bill Compton just a little bit. _

---

As I recalled that conversation, which had happened over a week ago it reconfirmed my faith in not associating with vampires anymore. They were sneaky, devious, unorthodox, manipulative, and sexy, as a pair of blue eyes and short blond hair came to my mind. No, I scolded myself. No more vamps. I seemed to have become a fangbanger though because as much as I tried I could not get Eric's profile out of my mind or how he seemed to be a different person with me. Only me. I wanted him in my life, but it would never succeed. So I told myself that the next relationship I had would be with someone who was actually human. And didn't drink blood, like someone drank coffee. I would try. And I would accomplish the feat I had set out on. I promised myself.

---

Merlotte's was jam packed. We were short on waitresses this evening because Arlene had to run home with a child emergency. The only left me and one other. Sam was busing manning the bar and patrons were coming in left and right. I didn't mind when it was busy though because it seemed to make the day pass faster and I couldn't read every flippin' mind of these so-called rejects that came in. It was always the same thing: sex, money, drugs, and deceit. Sometimes all of the above.

I didn't pay much attention to anything that night. I had been on my feet for hours and I was just anxious to get home. Nothing interesting had occurred and I figured that it wouldn't. I saw a customer leering at me for most of the night and I knew he wasn't a vampire, so I was thinking about giving him a shot. I then made the mistake of reading his mind though. It was full of the dirty, dirty things that he wanted to do to me and then he would leave me high and dry. I was just a fuck. No more than that.

I swallowed in disgust and turned back the way I had started. Sam was still busy counting tips and such at the bar and I only had ten minutes left until my shift ended. Thank goodness. I don't know what it was, but today had annoyed me. Everyday seemed to annoy me now. I nodded to myself and the blond wavy ponytail of mine brushed the back of my neck. I touched it once to make sure that it was still secured. As I was doing that, I heard the jangle of the bell signaling more customers. I sighed heavily. I hated when people came in late. A sudden silence overcame the restaurant and bar, and I turned around to see what had caused the disruption.

My heart got caught in my throat. I felt breathless. My mouth was as dry as cotton. Eric Northman had just walked in with Pam and some of his other cronies. I heard his rich rumble of laughter as he talked to an associate and I put a hand on my chest to make sure that my heart wouldn't fly out of it. It surely felt like that. It was thumping so hard. Was this what I had come to?

Google eyed over one man, well vampire in his case. The mere sight of him caused me to almost want to pop an Altoid and make sure that my breath was okay. That was the kind of man Eric was though and he inspired women to check themselves to make sure they looked good. I just never thought that I would turn out to be one of those women. I wouldn't be. I grabbed my pad and was going to make my way over to his table when the other waitress swooped in and took my table. It wasn't even in her area. She just wanted a look at the blond Viking and all that he had to offer. I had to tamper down the jealousy that rose in the pit of my stomach. I didn't like feeling this way.

I wondered when Eric would turn around and finally acknowledge me. He knew that I was here of course. I saw him look in my direction once, but that was it. After almost a half hour of his leisurely dining and my shift still not ending, I realized that he was doing this on purpose. He was ignoring me. I watched him covertly as he lowered his head and talked to Pam very softly. He put his forearms on the table and I saw the sinewy muscles bulging with his every effort and had to sustain myself from clutching my palms like a schoolgirl.

Everything that I told myself for the past few weeks about not associating with vampires anymore and staying away for them, and my promise to have a real relationship with a human vanished from my head. Oh, it was still there in the very back but I pushed it aside. Eric's plan was working. The desired effect was taking place.

I couldn't be ignored by him and he had accomplished what I knew he had set out too. He knew that by paying me no attention that I wouldn't stand for it. That it would irritate me, enrage me, annoy me, and make me altogether crazy, which it had.

And right then and there while I was standing in Merlotte's and trying to think reasonably, I gave into the temptation and decided to push my stubbornness all the way aside for once. I wanted Eric. I needed the connection, the easiness we shared, the passion and incredible hunger for each other, and I wanted it all. I knew in that moment that I would chase Eric Northman as he wanted me to. I would do whatever it took to get him to notice me again and to finally feel his hands on my body which I had craved for weeks. I had fallen fast and hard for him, but that didn't bother me. Nope. Because it was all so exciting and now the thrill of the chase was going to be spell bounding for the both of us. All I had to figure out now, was how do you even begin to chase a vampire?

Fifteen minutes later, Eric and his group left and we closed an hour later than intended. As Eric left, I purposely turned my back to him, but I could feel his eyes almost searing into my back and I'm sure that he expected that I was up to something but he just didn't know what. That made me smile. Let the seduction of Eric begin. He was good at this game, but maybe I was just better.

---

As I unlocked my door, I was thinking of ways of how I could entice Eric and chase him without being overly obvious. I would not make any decisions until I had a good firm plan laid out before me. As I made my way to the kitchen, something seemed amiss. The house was full of deadly quiet and I got the same intuitive feeling I did when I found Gram dead. That mere thought caused me to shudder. I clicked one of the lights on in the living room and gasped when my foot slammed into something.

Thoughts of Eric disappeared from my mind. It would have to wait because right now I had more important things on my mind. A wail rose from my throat and I reached for the phone and with my hand shaking dialed 911. My brother, Jason, was lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood with a huge dent in the side of his head.

TBC

**A/N: No real E/S interaction this chapter, but there will be lots in the next chapter. I can promise that. I went for the dramatic flair in the ending of this particular one. Hope you enjoyed it. **

**XOXO**


	9. Chapter 9

I would never be able to go back inside my own home again. The image of my brother, Jason, lying on the floor with a huge hole in the side of his head, blood dripping all over the floor, and a crowbar right next to his head assaulted Sookie and the image could never be fully erased from my mind.

I hesitantly took a seat on my porch steps and even in broad daylight, buried my face in my hands and let loose a cry of emotion that echoed all around me. This was the first time that I allowed myself to fully cry for Jason. For the last few days, I had been in denial and doing my best to try and close myself off to what was happening. I was living in my own naïve world, but I had finally allowed myself to mourn Jason.

Tears dripped down my face and fell onto my skirt, which I didn't even notice. I cried, and cried, and cried until I didn't have any more tears left. I mourned for my brother, the person he had been, the closeness that we had at times, and the bond that we as sister and brother had always shared. It was all gone now. Jason was dead.

Yes, I was weak because for the past few days I had been thinking: Why me and why again? I hated to be weak, needy, or have to depend on someone but all of that changes when your last living relative is found dead and you have no one else in this world that you can turn to for love, support, or anything for that matter. I missed Jason desperately. Already. Life was not the same without your brother in the world.

I had no one anymore. The tears continued to stream down my face as I thought of the many funeral preparations that I still had to take care of and if there was one thing that was horrific in life; it was picking out your own brother's coffin to bury him in the ground with. What was I going to do without my brother?

As hard as it had been when Gran died, it was comforting to have someone there with you through the pain and the grief. Someone to help you through it. That had been Jason for me and now he was gone.

My world was empty and I had no idea what I was going to do. I hadn't been able to step foot in my house since I had found Jason and the paramedics were called and pronounced that he was dead. I knew that I could never step foot in there again. The place that I had known since childhood and was so comforting to me at times, and it reminded me of Gran was no longer home. It didn't hold a shred of good memories. Instead, it was the place of two murders and I had found both of them. Both Gran and Jason had been lying in a pool of their own blood and I felt like screaming until my throat was weak and raw with emotion, but I didn't even have the energy to do it. I had more important things on my mind.

First of all, I couldn't stay with Arlene any longer. She had been nice enough to go through the house and collect my clothes because I would never be able to do it myself. She was beginning to drive me crazy through with her incessant nagging and asking if I was alright. I needed to be on my own and not depend on anyone. The only person that I cared about had not even bothered to see how I was and that deepened my pain, but he wasn't worth my time anymore. Apparently, humans and pain didn't matter to him.

Second, I was going to quit my job at Merlotte's and I knew that Sam would miss me and beg me to stay, but I had things to take care of and being a waitress wasn't one of those things anymore. I had enough money to last me a while and I was going to need it for what I was about to undertake.

My mind couldn't stay where it was supposed to and it drifted back to the night when I had found Jason.

_My shaking hands couldn't hold the portable phone any longer and it crashed onto the floor with a sound keen to a sonic boom. I didn't notice it. I already had blood all over my hands and my dress and I knelt beside my brother again. The paramedics said they would send an ambulance right away, but I knew it would do no good. Since the moment I had laid eyes on Jason's body, I knew it was lifeless. His eyes were blank and there was nothing left of him. As I continued to crouch down beside him, I noticed how peaceful he looked except for the pile of red blood surrounding his head. _

_I curled myself into the fetal position and laid my head next to his. A few moments later, I noticed that the paramedics had entered through the door that I had stupidly left open. The moved me aside and I dimly heard one of them say, "He's gone."_

_My whole world crashed then. And nothing would ever be the same, nor should it. For I had lost my brother. _

I fingered the eyelet of my dress as I thought back to what Andy and Bud had just told me this morning. It was a homicide, which I already knew and they had absolutely no leads. The house hadn't been broken into, everything was still there and nothing had been stolen, nor was anything misplaced. The only clue of some sort was the crowbar that someone had used to murder Jason and apparently there were no prints found on that. So in all, they had nothing to go on.

I had a feeling that they would never find anything. I didn't know if this was some sick vampire scheme that I had unknowingly found myself involved in, or if was a jealous husband and Jason had overstepped his bounds, or maybe it was even Bill. At this point I would rule out nothing.

All I knew was that I was going to get vengeance on the son of a bitch that killed my brother.

---

Jason's funeral dawned early the next morning and I wasn't ready to say goodbye to my brother. I had to, but I would never fully be able to let go of the person that he was. As I looked around and all of the people that turned out for his funeral, I couldn't help wonder if they had actually come to mourn and grieve for Jason or if this was just an attempt to gossip about what happened and speculate on who had committed such a crime. The bitterness rose up in me as I started to hear people's thoughts. Unfortunately, the latter seemed to be the case.

His funeral started and at times I felt like marching myself up there and throwing myself down on his coffin. I still couldn't fully grasp the fact that he was dead and the tears started coming again. Who could have done this to him? People started giving me pitying looks and I couldn't stand for that, so I stared back defiantly.

I held myself together quite well until the eulogy and I had to speak of Jason and remember him. I lost it then. I felt so alone and the grief overpowered me until my legs were shaking and I was pressing numb fingers to my lips to get a hold of myself, but that never happened. In the end, Tara had to come up and take me back to my seat. I sat there woodenly as other people spoke of Jason, and the tears continued to stream down my face and I did nothing to stop them. I had to cry. It was natural and was supposed to be healing.

Somebody in this town had killed my brother and I really had no idea who had done it. But I wasn't going to be nice to anyone or converse. I had to find my brother's killer. For him and for me. I would never rest until I did so.

As people filed out and patted his coffin as they went past, I waited until I was the last one there standing in the cemetery. Several people had asked me if I was going to be alright. How was I going to be fine again after this? I shook my head in neither denial nor admission, but said I needed a minute alone.

For a long while, all I did was touch the sleek black of his coffin and I looked down at the big hole of earth that had been dug for Jason's final resting place. I bit my lip to stem the flow of tears and when I got it somewhat together, I spoke a few words quietly, "I will find who did this to you, Jas. And I will get revenge on them for doing this to you and for taking my brother away from me. I love you. Always and forever."

And that's when it finally completely dawned on me. He was gone. Forever. I wouldn't see him again until I was dead. With that thought and hate flooding through my veins, I left and never looked back.

---

I had spoken to Arlene earlier at the funeral and told her my plans on leaving and she had insisted that I stay, but I told her no. I knew she was worried about me but I couldn't take anyone looking at me anymore as though I was going to fall apart at any second. I had also handed my resignation in, but thankfully Sam hadn't been there. He would find out soon enough though. Luckily, Arlene had gone out for the night and was thoughtful enough to leave me by myself for the next few hours. I would be gone by the time she got back.

As I stood in one of the bedrooms, collecting all of the clothes that she had brought me from my house I heard the doorbell chime throughout the house. "Shit." More than likely it was for me, I figured. Most people knew that I was staying with Arlene and I just figured that one of them were checking up on me now when I really didn't want to be around anyone, even as selfish and bitchy as that may have sounded.

I slowly made my way through the house and checked the peephole. I certainly couldn't be too careful now since Jason had been murdered. When I saw who was standing on the other side of the door, I uttered the most savage curse that I had ever thought of in my life. "Fuck!"I leaned my sweaty forehead against the door and felt the urge to bang it a few times. In the end, I regained my composure and opened the door to Bill.

Bill had a sad look on his face, which was for my benefit, although his eyes were dark and stormy and I had to tread carefully. "Bill."

"Sookie," He said in that condescending voice of his. "I'm so sorry for what happened."

I was wearing a knee-length black dress that I hadn't changed out of since the funeral, but that was nothing compared to how volatile I was feeling right now. My mood had gone from depressed to annoyed and out for blood, even if it was Bill's. I didn't trust him at all. "Are you?" I asked.

A frown crinkled his brows and he pushed his way past me into Arlene's house. "What is that supposed to mean?"

I shut the door and turned back to Bill. "It means exactly what I just said. Are you sorry about what's happened?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be sorry for the woman I love losing her brother in such a gruesome way?"

I had to mentally make myself not flinch at his use of the word love directed at me. "Well as I recall the last time we spoke, we didn't end on such good terms, and my brother was just murdered. I'm wary of everyone at the moment and that includes you."

He took a step toward me and I took a step backward. For every step he took, I matched it with one to the back to get as far away from him as possible. I didn't want to be near him.

Annoyance clouded his features now. "Sookie, you can't possibly think that I had anything to do with Jason's murder. You know me. I would never do that to you. Do you think I'm responsible for it?"

I jutted my chin forward in a defiant expression and said clearly, "I don't know. Why don't you tell me instead."

"I don't believe this! I would never do anything to hurt you. I love you."

I shuddered this time. "Bill, we've been over this. We broke up. And this isn't about that."

Bill took another menacing step forward. "Tell me something, Sookie. Are you doubting Northman as well? Or is it just me? How can you not think of Eric being to blame, while you can for me? And for someone you said that understood you and cared for you, he's really showing it now, isn't he?"

Shit. Damn it. I didn't want to think of Eric now and how betrayed I felt that he didn't come to me and see if I was alright. Clearly, I had been mistaken about his feelings for me. He obviously didn't want me or care about me as much as he had claimed.

I sighed heavily. "This isn't about Eric, Bill. But no, I know he had nothing to do with Jason's murder. He would never do anything of that sort to me and I trust him."

"And how do you know that?" he questioned.

"Because I love him and I think in some part of Eric, he feels the same way."

Bill's head jerked back as though he had just been slapped. The anger coursed over his face and it was frightening to see. He looked like an angry vampire that was ready to kill and I was on the end of that receiving look from him.

"You love him?" he asked while laughing bitterly. "This is such bullshit. How do you go from loving me to him in a matter of weeks?"

I wasn't going to answer that. It would only make him angrier and I had never loved Bill in the way I was supposed to. "This isn't even about Eric or you," I screamed in a raspy voice. "This is about Jason and his murder! I want you to leave, Bill, and don't come back."

He looked as though he was about to lunge for me, but in the end he backed off for some reason and as he walked back to the door, he looked over his shoulder and said in what could only be measured as a threat, "This is far from over. You will always belong to me."

The door clicked shut as he left and I raised a shaking hand to my rapidly beating heart. He had scared me and this wasn't the Bill I used to know, but maybe I just had to face the fact that I had never really known Bill Compton. It didn't matter.

One interesting thing had come from this conversation; suspect number one on the list of Jason's possible killers: Bill.

I absolutely knew what I had to do now. It wouldn't be easy, but my pride wasn't important right now.

---

I knew where I was going because I had been there before. As my car traveled down the road, I recognized certain things even though I had only been down this way once before. Soon enough, it came into view. I drove up the driveway and as quietly as possible got out of the car and went to the front door. The red corvette was there, so I knew he was home.

I knocked lightly on the front door three times. At first, I figured that maybe my knock couldn't be heard, but after a few moments the door swung open slowly. There he stood and I almost didn't know what to say.

That didn't last long though because Eric threw himself at me. "Lover," he rasped as he wrapped his arms around me. "I've been so worried about you, but I couldn't come to see you. I wanted to though."

Being in his arms felt so right, but I pulled back from his embrace and looked curiously into his face. "Eric?" I questioned. His behavior was peculiar and I didn't know what to think.

He nodded once and I knew it was him. It was Eric. The man that I loved. "Sookie, can I help you in some way? Are you alright?"

I shook my head to the latter, but nodded my head to the former. "Eric, I'm going after Jason's killer and you're going to help me."

TBC

**A/N: I'm sorry that it took me so long with this chapter. Work and school have been killing me and it's kind of been driving me crazy. Good news though! I'm graduating college in about 24 days and it's going to be so nice and relaxing. I'm sure that there will be a few people who don't like what I have done in this chapter, but it was the best method to go about things and get to more of the Eric and Sookie goodness, which is what we all want. I want to thank everyone who has added this story to their alerts, favorites, or reviewed it. I appreciate that so much and thank you for sticking by me with this and my other TB story. I know I said there was going to be a lot of E/S in this chapter, but I couldn't do it with the whole Jason storyline so next chapter is solely going to be focused on Eric and Sookie. So leave me some reviews? I'll admit that I'm a bit of a review whore. ;)**

**XOXO**

**Sam**


	10. Chapter 10

I didn't know what to say. What do you even begin to say to the man you love who is a vampire and just told you that he'd been dying to come to you, even though that wasn't behavior typical of him?

In the end, my eyes drifted from his and landed on my tattered clothes, and I knew I looked horrible. I had dark bulging circles under my eyes, my hair was a mess, I had lost an extreme amount of weight, and he was Eric. He always looked perfect.

My brother had just been murdered in the most devastating way and here I was thinking about what I looked like to him. How I looked to a man that could never love me. I hated that.

I cleared my throat and did my best to remain composed. "Eric," I began, "What do you mean you couldn't come to me?"

His face immediately became devoid of any and all emotion. I sensed it and saw it immediately. The walls that he had always erected around himself were up and I knew it would be useless to even try, although I would.

"What did you mean?" I persisted.

His eyes darkened with lust and anger of other unidentifiable emotions. I knew he wasn't angry at me, but instead at his feelings for me that were causing him all this distress. One of his big hands moved to cup my cheek and I never felt anything more comforting than the callused palm of his hand.

"I didn't mean anything. It doesn't matter anymore. Why are you here, Sookie?" He almost breathed my name, even though technically vampires don't breathe.

"So you're not going to tell me?"

"Why are you here?" He repeated the question again and I knew it would be useless to bring it up again, even though I wanted to persist and badger him until he gave into me and told me the truth.

_Why am I here? In all fairness, I didn't know. Why come to Eric of all people to help me with finding out who killed my brother? I trusted him enough to know that he didn't do it and it was very possible that he, given his astute position, might know who actually did it. That should be the reason I'm here. Because I want answers and I want him to give them to me. _

_Yes, I wanted him to help me find the killer of Jason, so I could get vengeance on that person and make them pay for destroying another part of myself but that was not the only reason. I was here for more and I knew it. I was there for something that only he could give me and until he could give it to me, I would never feel whole again and I wouldn't be able to devote all of my attention to my slain brother. _

_There was no denying it anymore. I wouldn't keep hiding my feelings._

I looked into his eyes and bit my lip and mumbled, "I'm here…I'm here…," my voice suddenly got stronger and I stated. "I'm here because of Jason. You need to help me find his killer, but most of all I'm here because being with you makes me feel alive and I need you to make me feel that way now, Eric."

He took a step back further into his house. "What do you want me to say to that?"

Fury engulfed me. Here I was pouring out my soul to him and he wouldn't give me _anything_ in return. "What do I want?" I pushed at the solid, cold, wall of his chest until he moved a few inches. "I just told you what I wanted! I know you want me, why can't you just fucking admit it for once? And not in that way of yours that means it's only sexual."

He seemed impressed by my strength and he finally dropped his hand from my cheek. "You know how much I want you," he rasped. "I haven't tried to hide it, but I need to know this is what you truly want."

My eyes wandered down to the tight black jeans molded to his behind and strong legs and thighs, to the black tank top that showed his bulging muscles and I knew I had never wanted anything more than this. Lust burned in my body and maybe it was wrong to do this before finding Jason's killer, but I needed this. Passion coiled deep in my stomach and set my nerves on edge.

"I want this. You know that. No matter how much I've denied it, Eric, you've known this is what it was always going to come too. I hate myself for begging you to do this, but I need you right now. I want that part of me to come alive again when you touch me. Get rid of that dead feeling inside of me. Take me," I whispered on a sigh.

Eric pulled the tank top over his head and balled it up in a fist; all the while his gaze never leaving mine and his eyes became hooded. Without a word, he pulled me against him. _Yes,_ my brain shouted. My hands landed flat on his bare chest, my palms covering his nipples. I looked at the golden blond hair that my hands were threading through to the dip in his throat. I kissed the side of his neck and I marveled over the fact that nothing had ever felt as right as this did.

My hands lowered to his belt buckle. "You could kill someone with this," I said as I unhooked it and pulled it from his pant loops. My sly innuendo didn't escape him.

His blue eyes looked at me from beneath lids heavy with desire. A blatantly sexual smile pushed the corners of his mouth upward. And it struck me that I had never seen Eric smile, unless it was in a sexual manner. I would have to change that. "You got that right," he said in a voice that was pure sex, and I had a feeling that he wasn't talking about the buckle, but then neither had I. The belt slipped through my fingers and hit the floor with a thud.

Eric reached for my waist and grasped the edge of my tank top. "Raise your arms," he said and slowly pulled the shirt up my stomach. The soft cotton snagged under my breasts and he gathered the material in his hands and drew it over my head. The cool ends of my hair fell down to my shoulders and I dropped my hands to my side. Eric tossed the shirt with his, and I stood there in a black stretch bra and khaki skirt.

All of a sudden, I started having doubts. This was the man I loved and I knew he could never feel the same way because of his trouble with emotions, but I told myself to give in and not fight it any longer. And I was going to, even though it scared me.

His mouth moved to my face and he kissed a warm trail across my cheek to my ear. The wet tip of his tongue touched the side of my throat, and he slid his fingers beneath my breasts to the black rose holding the cups together. With a twist of his wrist the closure sprung free and he pushed the straps from my shoulders. His hot hands closed over my bare breasts as his mouth found mine for the first time that evening.

And suddenly I forgot about everything but how good he made me feel and the touch of his rough palms sliding back and forth across my hard, sensitive nipples. I drove my tongue into his mouth as he walked backward, driving me against the kitchen counter. Lust coiled yet again deep in my abdomen, pooled between my thighs, and tightened my breasts. The feelings were almost painful, they were so intense. Wonderful and overwhelming. I moaned deep, deep in my throat and ran my hands over him. His hair, the sides of his face, down his neck and to his shoulders. I touched him everywhere that I could reach, his back, his sides, and his belly.

His hungry mouth slanted hard against my lips, and he gave me hot feeding kisses. That was the moment that I gave up thinking. I just wanted to _feel. _Eric tasted like excited man and sex. I arched into him, into the wall of his chest and kneading hands, into his erection. Against my lower belly he was fully aroused, hard as stone, and I craved more, needing closer contact. I wanted the one thing he could give me, and my hands moved to the front of his jeans. I unsnapped the waistband, and when I pulled down the zipper, I found him naked. A smile crossed my lips. I should have expected it. His flesh jutted into my palm and I closed my fist around him.

A groan tore at Eric's chest, and I pulled back to look into his face. His eyes were slits of blue. I lowered my gaze to my hand, and the large penis that was resting in my hand. I slipped my palm up the smooth shaft and slid a thumb over the velvet head. I spread a bead of clear moisture over the plump cleft, learning the weight and texture of him.

"Lover," he whispered, his voice rough as if I was torturing him. He took my hand from his body and set it on his shoulder. "I'm not going to be able to stop in a minute, so are you sure this is what you want?"

I nodded once. That was enough for him. He grasped my thighs and lifted until I sat on the counter. He took a step back and within seconds he stood before me completely naked. I would have preferred a moment or two to look him over, to appreciate the beauty of his body, the impressive muscles and solid proportions, but he didn't give me the chance. He stepped between my legs and placed a soft kiss on the side of my throat.

"I want you, Sookie," he said as he kissed a trail across my collarbone. "More than I want anything."

I figured that was as a big of a declaration that I was ever going to get from Eric and I was alright with that. Everything turned hot, fast, and sweaty. My clothes disappeared, his hand went between my legs and felt the dampness and wetness that he was responsible for, and he growled with pleasure.

"Come here," he said and I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. He glided himself to my opening and shoved up as he pushed down on my thighs. He didn't get far before a stitch of pain penetrated my lustful haze, but he quickly made it good for me.

My gasp turned into a moan as he pulled back and thrust deep. The heat gathered between my legs and spread across my breasts and belly like a flash fire. He filled me completely, touching me so deeply that I felt utterly consumed by him.

I raised my hands to the side of his head and I lowered his face to mine and kissed his lips.

Eric kissed me long and deep as he moved over me, slipping in and out with a slow, even rhythm that built up and up until neither of us could control what we felt for the other. He pulled back far enough to look into my eyes, and his eyes completely gazed over with incredible passion with the punctuating thrust of his hips. Every nerve ending in my body was alive and tingling with warm liquid pleasure, pushing me up, up, up toward release. It built hotter, tighter, the pleasure curling my toes. And then it pulled me completely under. Wave after wave seared me from my head to the bottom of my feet and I cried his name.

I grasped his bare shoulders and clung to him as the walls of my body pulsed around him. It went on and on like nothing I had ever experienced in my life before. He moved faster, harder, pumping into me again and again, until I felt his chest turn to stone and a groan came from the very pit of his soul while he said my name.

In the aftermath, the only sound was that of my heavy, spent breathing. Our skin was glued together and his forehead rested next to my right ear.

And the moment was over. There would never be a future for us. We both knew that. He would close himself off to me now again, and I would do the same thing.

I struggled to get out from under him and he let me go. I picked up my discarded clothes that were in the kitchen and living room, and when I went back to, he was almost fully dressed again. We didn't say anything to each other for the longest time. It felt awkward and somehow stupid because we had just been as intimate with each other as two people can be.

Finally I asked, "Are you going to help me? About Jason."

Eric took his time, walked over to me slowly, and took my hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Yes. Yes, I am."

TBC

**A/N: To all those that have stuck with this story, thank you very much. I didn't abandon any of you! The last few months have been extremely busy, seeing as I got married and had a baby. This chapter has been planned for a long time, the catapult that leads to Eric and Sookie giving into each other. So you see that box below? Go click on it and review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**I haven't updated in over seven months and I have not in any regards forgotten about this story. I've been very uninspired lately which has led over into my hectic life. I think I'm finally starting to put something concrete together for the next chapter. **

**It's a little smutty which is where my concern comes in because this story unlike so many of my others has never been about sex or smut tendencies. It includes sex but it's more about the evolution of the characters of Eric and Sookie. Also, it includes a little mystery. **

**This is where my question comes to all my faithful readers. For the next chapter, would you like to see Sookie and Eric engage in some sexual activities and maybe see some tenderness out of Eric or rather see them working together to find Jason's killer? Hit that review button and let me know what you think so I can get the next chapter out and churning. **

**I want to thank all of you for the tremendous support you've given this story which was my first foray into **_**True Blood**_** fanfiction. And since you've all been more than accommodating, here's a teaser for the next chapter**.

XOXOXO Sam

I wet my lips, slowly, dragging my tongue across the seam of my lip. His bright blue eyes stared a hole into me as though he could see down to my very soul. My action had been enticing to him which was not what I had been going for. What was I supposed to say now? I had just given myself over to him, not to mention had sex with him while I was supposed to be looking for my brother's killer.

Jason. Just his name or the thought of him caused a painful tremor in my chest. I closed my eyes, willing to block out Eric and thoughts of my brother which had almost reduced me to tears. I didn't want him to see me like that. That would have been the utter humiliation and he might even think I was crying over him and not Jason, which of course I wasn't.

Bill had become a monster seemingly overnight, Jason had been murdered, and now I had just succumbed to Eric. My simple and well structured life of having a boyfriend and just being a waitress at Merlotte's was gone, although how simple could I say it was when Bon Temps was overrun with vampires and I had been with several of them?

I ran a shaky hand through my ringlets of blond hair and finally raised my eyes to him. I took a deep breath and let it out before trying again. "That shouldn't have happened, Eric. I'm not blaming you because I was equally responsible but I really did come here because I need your help with finding my brother's killer. That's the only thing on my mind right now and I let the grief overcome me and I seeked comfort in the nearest person which happened to be you."

That was a lie.

Eric's mouth twisted into a smirk. "I know why you came here, Sookie. You may have not come here for that but you got what you wanted. Me."

My mouth opened in disbelief. I wisely stayed silent and said nothing because what could I say? He was partly right.

"Do you regret it?"

"No," I whispered. "But Jason is the reason why I came."

He played oblivious to my brother's name and steered our conversation back towards what had just occurred not ten minutes before. "Will it happen again?"

"No. Never again."

His blue Nordic eyes seared into me, he roughly took my hand and pulled me into him and said, "That's where you're wrong, lover."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: This is the final edit of this story. Fanfiction messed up my chapter three different times. Sorry guys. **

What had I just done? I wanted him, yes. I had given into temptation. I had his blood. But those were all just simply excuses for me to justify my actions because the truth was that I loved Eric Northman with a burning passion. Something I had never felt for anyone else or not to the extent that I did for him. But I could barely admit this to myself, never him. I knew if I did, it would be the beginning of the end. It would all be over. I was too strong of a woman. But I _wanted_ to give into the Viking and not just in a sexual way. Completely give myself to him. Eternally.

I shook those thoughts from my head and splashed cold water on my face. My hands started to shake slightly as I shut the tap for the bathroom sink off. _Breathe Sookie. _I told myself that over and over again. I had to go back out there and face him. The fact that we just had mindblowingly hot sex was the only think I could think about. I didn't come here for that though. I came because of his murder. Maybe in the back of my mind I knew this would happen. I wanted it to. I could admit that always.

I couldn't stall any longer. "Shit." I brushed back my hair and straightened my clothes as best I could. I looked like I had just been ravaged and that was certainly true. My palm felt sweaty as I grasped the bathroom door handle and turned it. He was standing there waiting for me. Right outside the door. I should have figured that he would do that. He looked nothing like the passionate man that just had made love to me.

I wet my lips, slowly, dragging my tongue across the seam of my lip. His bright blue eyes stared a hole into me as though he could see down to my very soul. My action had been enticing to him which was not what I had been going for. What was I supposed to say now? I had just given myself over to him, not to mention had sex with him while I was supposed to be looking for my brother's killer.

Jason. Just his name or the thought of him caused a painful tremor in my chest. I closed my eyes, willing to block out Eric and thoughts of my brother which had almost reduced me to tears. I didn't want him to see me like that. That would have been the utter humiliation and he might even think I was crying over him and not Jason, which of course I wasn't.

Bill had become a monster seemingly overnight, Jason had been murdered, and now I had just succumbed to Eric. My simple and well structured life of having a boyfriend and just being a waitress at Merlotte's was gone, although how simple could I say it was when Bon Temps was overrun with vampires and I had been with several of them?

I ran a shaky hand through my ringlets of blond hair and finally raised my eyes to him. I took a deep breath and let it out before trying again. "That shouldn't have happened, Eric. I'm not blaming you because I was equally responsible but I really did come here because I need your help with finding my brother's killer. That's the only thing on my mind right now and I let the grief overcome me and I seeked comfort in the nearest person which happened to be you."

That was a lie.

Eric's mouth twisted into a smirk. "I know why you came here, Sookie. You may have not come here for that but you got what you wanted. Me."

My mouth opened in disbelief. I wisely stayed silent and said nothing because what could I say? He was partly right.

"Do you regret it?"

"No," I whispered. "But Jason is the reason why I came."

He played oblivious to my brother's name and steered our conversation back towards what had just occurred not ten minutes before. "Will it happen again?"

"No. Never again."

His blue Nordic eyes seared into me, he roughly took my hand and pulled me into him and said, "That's where you're wrong, lover."

My eyes widened and I felt myself being pulled into his powerful chest. That's when it occurred to me that he was right. This is where I wanted to be above anything else. He knew it and I finally could admit it to myself. I wanted and loved Eric Northman and maybe I had for a long time, and I just finally had the courage to admit it to myself.

My hands landed on his chest and my head made it's his way to lie close to his heart. His heart which funnily enough didn't beat anymore. That didn't bother me though. My movement felt perfect and natural, like it was the simplest thing in the world. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"Sookie," he lifted my head off his chest and brought my face up to his. "I want you. I have from the moment I saw you."

"I know you want me, Eric."

"Not just for sex, lover."

"No?"

A tender smile crossed his face, one that I had never see before and I felt my heart melt even more. The things this certain vampire did to me!

"What I felt for you at first was just sex." His hand reached out to caress my face and lightly stroked my chin. "But that didn't last long. I want something more with you. I'm not quite sure what yet, but I want something with you that I've never yearned for before. Not with any other woman. Only you."

I couldn't say anything. I didn't know what to say. How could I? He had just admitted to me what I had wished and wanted to hear, and a part of me was scared now. Eric was dangerous. Not in the vampire way, but dangerous because I could see myself giving my whole heart to him.

"Admit it, lover.

I didn't play coy this time. "I want you too, Eric. I paused to push a stray curl behind my ear and continued, "I want to be with one person. You."

He reached out for me, but I backed up before Eric could touch me.

"Eric, listen." I wet my lips and tried to formulate what I was going to say in my mind first. I couldn't think straight with him so close and my eyes automatically went to his bulging muscles in his tight black tank and leather jacket. The outfit that I had come to know him by.

"I've tried to deny my feelings for you but I've stopped now." I saw him move closer and I raised my hand to ward him off from coming any closer. "But I can't right now. I need to find my brother's killer. Jason's murderer needs to be brought to justice and pay for what he did to not only him, but to me."

To my embarrassment, tears began to well up in my eyes and I wiped them away quickly, hoping that Eric hadn't seen them. "I need to see the person who did this behind bars. I need that person to know that he just didn't kill my brother but destroyed a part of me." My voice shook on the last word. "I can't concentrate on anything until I do this. I can't focus on anything but Jason."

He moved next to me until our bodies were touching and grasped my hand, his thumb moving over my pulse point. One of his hands was tangled in my hair and he whispered, "Concentrate on this."

His lips moved closer to mine and just when they were about to touch he backed up to see if I would resist. Instead I looped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips lightly to Eric's. I kissed him and waited for him to kiss me back. He didn't. A small smile came to my face. He was waiting for me to take control.

One of my arms moved down to his chest and I circled his nipple with my thumb and felt it bead beneath my finger. My tongue came out and I traced his lips with the seam of my tongue before I felt his mouth open and his tongue reached out to touch mine. My breath caught.

"Eric," my voice came out in a sexy whisper. His tongue made it's way into my mouth and I caressed his with mine. We kissed for what felt like hours. Our tongues and lips locked in a passionate battle, not for control but to please the other. One of his hands was on my waist and the other went to my breast.

"Lover," he gasped and I felt his erection pressing into me. Strong, hard, and powerful just like Eric.

I finally broke the kiss and took several steps backward. I had to clench my thighs together to stop the powerful aching that I felt from our kiss. No words came to me, but I didn't have to think of what to say because he was the one to break the spell and speak first.

"Let me distract you one more time, Sookie."

"What?" Confusion was evident on my face.

"Let me make love to you. It's what we both want and neither of us is going to deny that this time. I won't let you."

I tried to fight the smile that I knew was forming on my face but I failed. I loved how he said 'make love' instead of 'sex' or 'fuck' even. I felt my willpower slipping and for once I didn't want to think about what I was doing or that I should be concentrating on my brother but I just wanted to _feel_ what he did to me without any of the consequences or the self blaming I usually did.

"But Jason—"

"I'll help you find your brother's killer. After. It will be easy for me. Let me distract you now. One time."

I looked into those blue eyes and I saw his need, not only sexual, but his need to help me and protect me.

"I want to, but…" My voice trailed off. I couldn't think of a valid excuse as to why not and that was because I wanted it. Now.

"We can figure out what we are later. After we find his killer. Together."

My heart pounded. I could do what he wanted. Have sex with him, let him take my mind off Jason and the murder, and just be with him like I wanted. Then we could find out who or what had done this to my brother and I could finally have closure and try and move on with my life and remember the man my brother had been. I was truthful with myself. This is what I wanted. Everything he said was what I wanted but the question was could I give myself over to him. Give him my heart? Or was that too dangerous to even contemplate? Should I just run? Was I safer that way?

What's a girl to do in a situation like this?

The vampire before me was moving closer to me, shedding his clothes, and lust was heavy and bright in his eyes.

The decision was easy.

TBC

**A/N: I stopped at the best part! I know. I'm not sure about this chapter. As always, I look to my readers for insight, comments, and general thoughts about my work. In other words? Review! Always much appreciated. **


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: This chapter is written from Eric's perspective. Thanks for continuing to follow this story even in my absence! It means a lot. **

Before my lips claimed hers again she took a step back and asked a question.

"Why do you need me so much? I know you don't love me. You can't feel love."

I noticed right away what she was doing. I heard the insecurity in her voice. She wanted me to tell her things that I was incapable of feeling or even telling her. She didn't need me for these things, but entirely someone else who could give them to her.

Tears ran down her face. I hated tears. They were weak. Somehow they didn't make Sookie seem weak.

"What's wrong, lover?" I caressed her cheek as I asked the question.

She hung her head and spoke softly. "My brother is dead. I'm confused. I feel things for you that shouldn't be, Eric. I don't understand them but they're there. I'm not a shrinking wallflower, yet I feel like I'm falling to pieces. I've lost my Gram and Jason, and the only thing keeping me going is knowing you're going to find his killer and we're going to get vengeance." Sookie picked her head up and her eyes locked with mine. "Then there is this feeling that I can't lose you and that I'm not just here because I want to find my brother's killer. I'm here because I want to be. I'm here because I need you."

She took another step closer to me and placed her hands on my chest. She put her hand on my chest where my heart should have been. Her words had weakened me. I wouldn't give in. "I can't tell you what you want to hear."

"You can. You're just too stubborn and won't. "

The lust was still pounding through my body and I would rather have been anyplace but here. I didn't want to have this conversation with her. I wanted to ignore the questions she asked of me.

"Please, Eric," she whispered it into my ear and I was gone.

"I don't know," I began. "I wanted you from the start and it wasn't just about you being Bill's. I've seen Bill with numerous women over the years and haven't wanted to claim them as my own. I wanted to be with you from the start. I wish I didn't. I feel weak and powerless. In all my years I haven't felt this way and I don't know how to make this go away. The unbelievable thing is that I don't want this to go away. I want you Sookie, and not just for sex. You burn my insides up with lust. I need you in the worst way. I need you the way a man needs a woman and I'm no man. "

Her tears had stopped and she looked meaningful at me. That frightened me. Go figure. Eric Northman was afraid of not one thing but this blonde beautiful creature standing in front of me scared me.

"I can't promise to not hurt you." I grabbed her face in between my large hands as I spoke. "I do promise to always protect you and never let any of my enemies take you away or hurt you. No harm will ever come to you when you're with me. I would rather meet the blaring and blazing sun that ever let anything happen to you, Sookie. I can't explain why I'm drawn to you because I don't understand it myself. I do know it isn't about Bill or anyone else. It's about you and me."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. What was it about her that made me act this way? Why was it her that I needed more than my next feeding? I don't think I would ever have the answers, nor did I think I wanted them.

"I can feel your heart beating, lover. Every time I touch your neck with my lips I can smell your blood. I want to taste you. For that to happen I need you to trust me and take a risk with me. I can't tell you I love you. I need for this to be enough for you right now."

Her dainty hand slowly crept up my chest to my neck, and then to my lips. I saw the light blue veins in her hand. I wanted her and her blood, but for the first time I wanted her more.

"That's enough, Eric. More than. I just needed to hear you felt some semblance of what I feel."

Sookie stood on her tiptoes and her lips covered mine. A growl came out of my throat as I felt her smooth pink tongue tangling with mine. We wrestled our tongues with each other until they became one and took and gave pleasure equally to each other.

She broke to the kiss to say, "Make love to me."

I wanted to. I felt a sudden wave of embarrassment over everything I had said to her. I had showed my true self to her and she was accepting what I could give her when I knew she wanted more. I had to give her something in return for being so understanding.

"We will lover. Later. First we have some ass to kick and revenge to take out on someone who fucked with the wrong person. Let's go get him."

A beautiful smile crossed her face as she took my hand. We walked out the door together to go find her brother's killer. I hoped he knew we were coming because for this person was going to pay for killing Jason, but more importantly he was going to pay for hurting Sookie.

**A/N: Please click the review button and tell me what you thought! **


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